Drive-gearing for automobile speed-indicating mechanisms.



No. 837,188. PATENTED NOV. 27, 1906. A: B. CADMAN.

DRIVE GBARING FOR AUTOMDBILB SPEED INDIGATING MECHANISMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25.19qe.

Witmeooeo 7 I 5111mm f oz I I H I 351 A 4 fluow s onrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADDI BENJAMIN CADMAN, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, ASSIGN OR TO WARNER INSTRUMENT COMPANY, OF BELOIT, *ISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISOON SI N.

DRlVE-GEARING FOR AUTOMOBILE SPEED-INDICATING MECHANISMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 27, 1906.

Application filed June 25, 1906. Serial No. 323,414. i

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anni BENJAMIN CAD- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, in the county of'Rock and State of IVisconsin, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Drive-Gearing for Automobile Speed-Indicating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to drive-gearing for automobile speed-indicating mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a drive-gearing'for automobile speed-indicating mechanism which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and efficient in operation.

A further object is to provide a gearing of the character referred to adapted to be mounted upon the steeringknuckle and wherein the bending or twisting of the shaft which transmits the motion from the wheel to the speed-indicating mechanism is avoid-' ed when the steering-knuckle is rocked to steer the automobile.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location, and arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

, Referring to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon, Figure 1 is aview in elevation showing the front wheel of an automobile and the steering-knuckle upon which the wheel is journaled and showing the application of a drive-gearing embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a broken view in central longitudinal section of the drive-gearing and its casing. Fig. 3 is a broken view in elevation of the same.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In operating speed-measuring devices for automobiles or other vehicles it is a customary expedient to mount the measuring or indicating mechanism upon the body of the vehicle or automobile and in convenient position to be readily inspected or examined and to drive the same, by means of a flexible notwithstanding the rocking or other shaft or gearing from driving mechanism operated from a suitable or convenient rotating part of the vehicle. The best results are attained by driving the speed-measuring or indicating instrument from a front or steering wheel of the automobile or vehicle, for the reason that such wheel ordinarily is not a power-driven wheel, and hence inaccuracy of the measuring instrument through slippage of a driven wheel is reduced to the minimum.

In practice and in accordance with the principles of myinvention I propose to mount the measuring instrument upon a convenient part of the body of the car or vehicle, and preferably, though in this respect I do not desire to be limited or restricted, upon the dashboard in convenient position to be readily examined or inspected by the driver or occupant of the car or vehicle, and I propose to mount the drive-gearing for the instrument upon the steering-knuckle of the front wheel and to transmit the motion of such gearin to the instrument through a flexible or ot er shaft or other form of transmitting-gearing. By mounting the drive-gearing upon the steering-knuckle of the front wheel I am enabled to maintain proper driving mesh of the gears, through which the rotations of the wheel are transmitted to the drive-gearing, and swinging movements of the steering-knuckle in the steering of the motor car or vehicle. With the drive-gearing mounted upon the steering-knuckle, however, it is obvious that during the rocking movements of the knuckle to steer the car or vehicle the transmittin mechanism intermediate the drive-gear an the instrument is liable to be twisted or bent or the protecting-sheathing therefor chafed or rubbed.

It is among the special purposes of my present invention to provide a drive-gearing of such construction and arrangement as to enable the steering-knuckle to be rocked or swung in steering the car without imparting to the transmitting-shaft a twist or turn or without subjecting the protecting-sheathing therefor to undue rubbing cha g, or wear, thereby avoiding any possibility of inaccuracy in the, reading of the instrument through the bending or twisting of its driving-shaft 2 comprises bevel-gears 6 and 3o ininany I 5 the lateral extension 17 55' 1 is a gear-wheel 2 2,

said wheel being journa upon astub-axle carried by a steering-knuckle 2, pivoted to rock or swing in a head 3, carried by the front axle f the automobile. These parts may be of the usual or any ordinary and well-known construction and ar-' V rangement and in the specific details thereof '20 form no part of my present invention.

. Suitabiy mounted upon the steeringknuckle 2 is a gear-casing 5, within which the drive-gearing embodying my invention is mounted and arranged. This drive-gearing 7, arranged to intermesh with each other. is mounted upon a short shaft 8, suitably journaled in a bearing-block 9, which is airranged within casing 5 and rigidly held'theresuitable and convenient manneras, for instance, by a locking-pin 1-0. The bevel-gear 6 is mounted upon .one end of stubshaft 8, and the other end of said shaft is provided with a rib or tongue in the end of a plug piv- 'oted or connected adapted to lead to the instrument to be driven thereby. The bevel-gear 7 is mount- 40 ed 11. on a short shaft 15, suitably journaled in a earingblock 16, mounted within a lateral extension 17 of case 5 and rigidly held or locked therein by means of a pin 18. Upon the end of shaft 15, which extends through of the. casing,. is mounted a pimon 19 and held thereon by means of anut 20. The case 5 is rovided with laterally-extendingfeet 21, adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured to the steering- 5oknuckle 2, whereby such casing will rock or swing with the rocking or swinging movements ofthe knuckle.

Mounted upon or suitably secured to or otherwise connected to rotate with the wheel with which the pinion 19 is in constant mesh, so that whenever the wheel 1 rotates the rotation thereof is im parted through the gears 22 and 19 to shaft 15, and hence through the intermeshing bevel- 13, said'plug being i ears 7 and 6 to shaft 8, and hence also t on h the connection of 'shaft8 with the fiexib e shaft 14 imparting rotative movement to said shaft 14, and by mountin the drive-gear case 5 upon the steering-knuc e 2 .55 the operation of the drive-gear withincasing The bevel-gear 6 V 11, adapted to be 3 5 receivedwithin a transverse slot 12, formed to a flexible shaft 14,

I 5 is not disturbed during the rocking or swinging movements of the'steering-knuckle in steering the motor-car'or other vehicle.

I will now describe the construction and arrangement embodying the principles of my l invention for preventing ment of the gear-casing during the rocking or swinging movements of the steeringl knuckle from'twisting or bendin the sha t l 14. In practice, though, and in t 's respect I do not desire to be limited or restricted, the shaft 14 is inclosed in a flexible sheathing 23. Upon the end of the flexible sheathing 23 is mounteda hollow cylindrical plug 24, longitudinally through which extends the stem of plug 13, the plug 24 forming a bearing within which said plug 13'rotates. The plug 24 is arranged to extend through a sleeve 25, adapted to be received and to be removably clamped-or otherwise secured within casing 5. Asa convenient means' for removably clamping or securing the bearing-sleeve 25, but to which my invention is not to be limited or restricted, I

.within which is ripheral surface of which is adapted to project slightly through the chamber of the extension and into the chamber of easing 5 sufficiently to bear against the exterior surface of sleeve 25. The clamping-plug 27 may be adjusted into and out of bearing contact with sleeve 25 in any suitable and convenient manner-as, for instance, by means of a screw-plug 28. From this description it will be seen that the bearing-sleeve 25 is clamped or secured to rock or swing with casing 5, but by reason of the bearin -plug 24 being journaled to revolve within earing-sleeve 25 the rocking or swinging movement of sleeve 5 is not transmitted to the plug 24, and hence since said plug is rigidly secured to the sheathing 23 said sheathing remains stationary during the rocking or swinging movement of the casing, and consequently the danger of twistin or bending the sheathing or the flexi ble shaft 14 during the steering movement of the vehicle is avoided, thereby avoiding wear upon the sheathing and also avoiding the danger of impairing the efiiciency o the measuring instrument through the rocking or bending of the shaft 14, through which such instrument is operated. In leading the shaft 14 and 23 from the gear-casing ment on the body of t e vehicle or automobile it is usually necessary to deflect or bend such shaft and sheathing in order to secure the roper direction of ead thereof. This ben or deflection, however, is permanent and when once fixed is not varied from. In order to properly support the shaft and its sheathing and to direct this permanent deflection or bend therein at a point adjacent the gearcasing, I propose to employ a holder or its sheathing the rocking move-'- 5 toward the instruhave shown the casing provided with a chambered enlargement 26, received a plug 27, the pe' this manner the flexible shaft 14 and its in- These parts may a ain be assembled by simguide-bracket therefor. guiding bracket is indicated at 29 and is clamped by means of clamp-ears 30 upon the exterior surfaceof the portion of bearingsleeve 24 which extends outside of casing 5 or of sleeve 25, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This guiding-bracket 29 is arranged to partially inclose the sheathing 23 and is set to the desired course or bend to properly direct the curvature or bend in the sheathing and shaft, said bracket at its upper end em I bracing the sheathing, as indicated at 31. In

closing sheathin 23 are efficiently supported and maintained in position and in the desired extent or degree of lateral deflection to secure the proper direction of lead thereof from the drive-gearing to the instrument to be operated. If desired and in order to efficiently brace and support the shaft 15 in the lateral extension 17 of c? sing 5, said shaft in addition to its bearing within bearing block or plug 16 may have its inner end 32 extended into a bearing formed to receive the,- same in the bore of a lug or boss 33, formed within casing 5.

It is obvious that since the intermeshing relation of gears 6 and 7 is ermanent the shafts 8 and 15 may be journa ed or support ed in any desired arrangement of ermanent bearings, and while I have shown t e bearing This holding or to rotate with awheel rocking or plugs or blocks 9 and 16 therefor as arranged, respectively, in casing 5 and the lateral ex- I tension 17 thereof ermanently locked or 1' heldin place by the ocking-pius 10 and 18 I do not desire to be limited or restricted to such arrangement since, said bearing-blocks may be otherwise permanently mounted or arranged to secure the same results.

The bearing-sleeve 24 may be held in place within bearing-sleeve 25 in any convenient manner. I have shown a simple arrangement to which, however, my invention is not to be limited or restricted, wherein I employ a disk or washer 34, carried by the sleeve 24 and serving to hold sleeve 25 a ainst a shoulder 35 upon the other end of s eeve 24. By removing the screw 28, thereby permitting the withdrawal of locking-plug 27, the sleeve 25, and with it the sleeve 24 and plug 13, may be readily removedfrom the casing 5, thereby detaching the shaft 14 from shaft 8.

ply inserting the s eeve within the casing 5 with the plug 13 held in such position as to. enable the tongue '11 to enter the slot 12 in the end of such plug 13. Then by turning 11 on screw 28 the sleeve 25 is rigidly c amped or held in place.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and efficient construction of drive-gearing for automobile speed-indicating mechanism wherein the instrument is driven through intermeshing gears, one of which is connected I of the vehicle, and that such gearing relation is not disturbed by the swinging movements of the wheel to effect the desired steering of the vehicle. It will also be seen that the drive-gear casing is so mounted as to permit the rocking or swinging movements of the steering-knuckle without transmitting such rocking or swinging movements to the shaft which transmits the motion from the drive-gearing to the instrument or without imparting such swinging or rocking movementto the sheathing which incloses said shaft. In other words, the drive-gear casing rocks or swings relatively to the sheathing or casing of the transmitting-shaft and merely imparts axial rotative movement to said shaft, but without bending or deflecting such shaft. It will also be seen that the bevel-gears of the drivegearing are maintained in constant mesh with each other and are respectively mounted upon shafts arranged at'right an les to each other and maintained permanent and. fixedly in such relation while at the saine time affording means which are simple for readily detaching the transmitting-shaft from such drive-gearing. It will also be seen that the drive-gearing is inclosed within the casing 5, thereby efliciently excluding any dust or dirt which might otherwise rapidly wear out such gearing.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a construction embodying the principles thereof, I desire it tov be understood that many variations therefrom and changes in the details of construction thereof might readily occur to persons skilled in the art and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not desire, therefore, to be limited or restricted to such details of construction and arrangei ment.

What I claim as new and useful, and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a drive-gearing for automobilespeed- "indicating mechanism, a casing, drive-gearing arranged within such casing, transmitting-gearing operated by said drive-gearing, and means whereby said casing may rock or swing Without rocking or swinging said transmitting-gear. r

.2. In an apparatus of the class described a casing, drive-gearing arranged therein, a transmitting-shaft, detachable connections between said shaft and drive-gearing, and

means whereby said casing may rock or swing without bending or deflecting said shaft.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a casing, drive-gearing arranged therein, a transmitting-shaft, detachably connected to said gearing, a bearing-sleeve within which said shaft is journaled to rotate, and means for detachably clamping said sleeve within said casing. 1

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a

casing having a lateral extension, shafts respectively journaled'within said casing and extension and carrying intermeshing bevel- -gears, a transmitting-shaft adapted to be connected to one of said shafts, a drive-gear mounted upon theother of said shafts, and

means whereby said casing is permitted to vintermeshing gears, means for driving one of said shafts, a transmitting-shaft, connections rock or swing axially without bending or defiecting said transmitting-shaft.

5. In an apparatus of the class described a casing, shafts arranged therein and carrying between said transmitting-shaft and the other of said first-mentioned-shafts, a sheathing for said transmitting-shaft and means whereby said casing is permitted to rock or swing axially relative to said sheathing.

6. In an apparatus of the class described a casing, shafts journaled therein and carrying intermeshing gears, means for driving one of said shafts, a transmitting-shaft arranged to be driven by the other of-said first-mentioned shafts, a cylindricalsleeve Within which said transmittin -shaft is "journaled, a bearingsleeve within-which said cylindrical sleeve is mounted, and means'for clamping said bearing-sleeve within said casing.

7. In an apparatus of the class described a casing, having a lateral extension, bearingblocks rigidly mounted respectively in said casing and extension, shafts journaled in said bearing-blocks and carrying intermesh- 3S ing gears, a drive-gear for'one of said shafts, a

- transmitting-shaft having detachable connections with the other of said first-mentioned shafts, a sheathing for said transmitting shaft and means for permitting said casing to rock or swing axially without bending or defleeting said sheathing.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, a

casing, drive-gearing arranged therein, means for driving said gearing, a transmitting-shaft driven by said gearing, a sheathing for said shaft, a curved support for said sheathing and means whereby said casing is permitted axial drive-gearing mounted upon said steeringknuckle and arranged to be driven by the adapted two subscribing witnesses,

gear on said wheel, a transmitting-shaft driven by said drive-gearing, and connections-between said transmitting-shaft and said drlvegearing, whereby said drive-gearing may partake ofthe rocking or swinging movement of the steering-knuckle without Y bending 'or twisting said transmitting-shaft.

10. The combination with a wheel having a gear, a pivotally-mounted steering-knuckle upon WhlCh said. shaft is journaled to rotate, drive-gearing mounted upon said steeringknuckle and arranged to be driven by the gear on said wheel, a transmitting-shaft arranged to be driven by said drive-gearing, asheath-. ing for said transmitting-shaft, and connec tions for permitting said drive-gearing to partake of the rocking orswinging movements of the steering-knuckle without transmitting the same to said sheathing.

1 1 The combination with a wheel having a gear, a pivotally-mounted steering-lmuckle upon which said wheel is journaled, a gearcasing carried by 's aid steering-knuckle, drivegearing arranged Within said casing and to bedriven-bythe gear on said wheel, a transmitting-shaft arranged to be driven by Sald drive-gearing, a sheathing for said transmitting-shaft, and connections be.- tween said sheathing and casing to permit the latter to partake of the rocking or swinging movement of the knuckle without transmit ting such movement to said sheathing 12. The combination with a wheel having a gear, a pivotally-mountedknuckle upon which said wheel is journaled, a casing carried by said knuckle, drive-gearing arranged 'within said casmg, and adapted to be driven by the gear on said wheel, a transmittingshaft arranged to be'driven by said gearing,

a sheathing for sald transmitting-shaft, arigid guide-support for said sheathing, and journal connections between said sheathing and cas-' said casing is permitted axiali'ng, whereby movement relatively to said sheathing and 7 its support.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of on this 15th day of June, A. D. 1906.

/ ADDI BENJAMIN OADMAN.

Witnessesf A, P, WARNER,

CHARLOTTE R. -HOPPERSTAD. 

